Owner review- Recreational Equipment Inc, REI Lookout 40 Pack- Patrick Minaghan

Dear Editors,
 

 Please see my below review for the REI 40 lookout pack. This is my very first review in going through the process to be set up as a formal gear tester!! woo!! I hope you enjoy. Please let me know of any changes for editing. Thanks
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 Owner Gear Reviewed:
 Recreational Equipment Inc.’s: REI Lookout 40 Pack
 Tester
 Name: Patrick Minaghan
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (177cm)
Weight: 165 lbs. (75 kg)     
Email address: pminaghan at yahoo
 City, State, Country: Denver, CO, USA
Backpacking Background: I live for high alpine hikes nowadays. I hail from the urban jungle of Chicago but moved to Colorado to follow my passions in the outdoors. My first love was snowboarding but that has turned me into an all season hiker. I have been exploring the outdoors since the early days as a tiger scout and made it all the way through Eagle. As an adult, I get out at least twice a week on day trips but commonly do multi-night trips whenever possible as well.
 Recreational Equipment Inc.’s: REI Lookout 40 Pack
 Bought in 2014 and is still currently in production. Found through: www.rei.com



 Best use:  Hiking
 Frame type: Internal
 Gear capacity: 40 liter
 Gear capacity (cu. in.): 440 cubic inches
 Weight: 2 lbs. 10 oz.
 Fits torso: 17 - 19 inches
 Fits waist/hips: 28 - 46 inches
 Material(s): Nylon
 Frame material: Spring steel
 Suspended mesh back panel:  No
 Pack access: Panel / bottom
 Number of exterior pockets:  7 + main compartment
 Hip belt: Yes
 Sleeping bag compartment: Yes
 Dimensions: 21 x 13 x 11 inches
 Gender: Men's

 

 Let’s see where to start with this bag, I LOVE IT! This bag has been my go-to bag for about two years now and it is still going strong. I find it accommodating for just about every type of adventure. With its 40L capacity, the pack has enough room to suffice for a few casual nights out and room enough for most of your things. Additionally, for those extended trips, it has four gear tie points on the outside. However, the pack is reasonably sized and light enough that it excels as a day trip bag as well.
 I have used his bag during trips to the Smokey Mountains, Mammoth Cave, Starved Rock, as well as extensively in Colorado including more than 20 summits of various 14,000 ft peaks. I have used the bag in all seasons and in practically all weather conditions.
 The mainstay of this pack for me is my summit attempts of Colorado’s 14ers and it has performed flawlessly with only minor suggestions for improvement. This pack has never let me down yet. I love the compression straps that allow it to conform to the size profile you need for each adventure. Tighten them all down and you have a nice, low-profile pack for a quick trip. Let it all out and you have an overnight bag. The weatherproof bottom is great for when the pack needs to come off and you do not need to think about where or how to set it.
 The pack has many extra design features that make it outstanding. In particular I love the large size of the hip belt pockets that make gear access a breeze. The pack also has two vertical pouches on the back for quick access. The bottom also unzips to make access to the large compartment easy from top or bottom. The dedicated loops on the bag work well to hold trekking poles or ice axes and the gear tie down points hold my snowshoes well. The pack has a slot that fits various water reservoirs including my 3L Osprey bladder. Avalanche/safety whistle on the chest strap is a nice added feature as well as the comfort/ airflow backing. Very comfortable overall too!
 The good:
 Great, durable, all-around pack that is the perfect size for many applications. Added features make this an indispensable piece in my arsenal and conforms to the needs at hand. The pack has stood the test of time in some of the harshest conditions.
 The not-so-good:
 
 There are only four small gear loops in each corner of the outside of the bag for tie points, I wish they were beefier and the pack had more of them. Color choices are also now limited to solid black only.